Medical terminology can seem confusing, but is a little easier to follow if you can match suffixes to situations. Let’s start with the place closest to you: your own body.
In your body
Acrophobia: Fear of heights
Anemia: Low hemoglobin in blood
Apnea: Condition of not breathing
Cardiomegaly: Enlargement of the heart
Claustrophobia: Fear of enclosed or small area
Colostomy: Artificial opening into the colon
Diarrhea: Frequent flow of watery or loose stools
Dysphagia: Painful or difficult eating (or swallowing)
Dyspnea: Difficult or painful breathing
Erythrocytes: Red blood cells
Gastrodynia: Stomach pain or discomfort
Hemiplegia: Paralysis of one side of body
Hemorrhage: Excessive flow of blood
Hepatomegaly: Enlargement of the liver
Hepatosplenomegaly: Enlargement of the liver and spleen
Hyperemesis: Excessive vomiting
Ileostomy: Artificial opening into the ileum
Leukemia: Blood condition of white blood cells
Leukocytes: White blood cells
Menorrhea: Heavy menstrual period
Myalgia: Muscle pain
Nephrosis: Kidney condition
Orthopnea: Inability to breathe properly except in an upright position
Osteopenia: Deficiency in bone mass
Photophobia: Visual intolerance of light
Quadriplegia: Paralysis of all four quadrants of the body
Splenomegaly: Enlargement of the spleen
Tracheostomy: Artificial opening into the trachea; follows a tracheotomy
In the doctor’s office and hospital
Abdominoplasty: Plastic surgery on the abdomen
Amniocentesis: Procedure to withdraw fluid from amniotic sac during pregnancy
Appendectomy: Surgical removal of appendix
Bronchoscope: Instrument used to perform a bronchoscopy
Cardiogram: Hard copy record of cardiography
Cardiograph: Machine used to perform a cardiography
Cardiography: Process of recording activity of the heart
Herniorrhaphy: Surgical fixation or repair of a hernia
Hysterectomy: Surgical removal of uterus
Laparoscope: Instrument used to perform a laparoscopy
Laparotomy: Cutting into the abdomen
Mammography: Process of examination of breast tissue
Myorrhaphy: Suture or fixation of a muscle
Myorrhexis: Suturing of a ruptured muscle
Nasoplasty: Repair of deviated nasal septum
Osteotomy: Cutting into bone
Psychologist: Person who studies psychology
Rhinoplasty: Nose job
Tracheotomy: Cutting into the trachea
Urethropexy: Surgical fixation of the urethra
